Books Round up

(Comes out January 13th 2009)

Polly, Jo, and Ama just graduated eight grade. Now with summer looming before them, they're not sure how far high school will separate them. They used to be best friends, before they each started going in different directions. But this summer, they are still tied to each other. Their bonds haven't been broken yet. Polly starts a modeling class with her babysitting money. She wants to become someone, someone that people notice. But is modeling for her, or is she walking down a dangerous path? Jo's spending the summer with her mother at the beach. Her parents are trying a separation and she's not sure what to think. It's not like her dad's been around much these past few years. She's got herself a job at a restaurant and soon she's hanging out with high school girls. Could they be her ticket to the in crowd next year? Ama's spending the summer in a scholarship program. She was hoping for an academic track, but instead, she's spending her days hiking through the wilderness. She's not an adventurous sort of girl and this summer is killing her. In their times of troubles, each girl reverts back to her old friendships and wonder how weak their bond has become. If one of them reaches out, will the other two catch her?

This new book by Ann Brashares takes place in the same town as the Sisterhood. These three girls don't know the Sisterhood, but they worship the girls just the same. The book has similar connections with the Sisterhood books, but it's completely different at the same time. They both center on friendship, but there's a different tone to the new book. The Sisterhood books took their friendship and made it stronger during the time apart. The 3 Willows found their way back to friendship after spending time apart. The new book is also younger and perfect for middle schoolers. I breezed through this book and am eager for the next one...there is going to be one I hope.

Billie used to love competing with her horse Valentine's Kiss, but ever since last year, she's just not interested. During the competitions last year, her fellow horse friend went down on a jump. The horse had to be put down. Billie watched the whole thing, horrified and convinced that she could never risk her horse 's health again. Some say she's lost her nerve. When her father threatens to sell her horse, she starts to rethink her options. Slowly, she gets back to competing workouts. There's a new trainer at the stables and together they work out Billie's mental blocks and her horse. She enters a competition late and hopes that winning this one will earn her an invite to an exclusive event.

This short, yet sweet, novel is a little bit different than King's other sports novels because it focuses a great deal on the mental challenges of sports and not just the sport itself. It's a great read for middle range readers looking for something sporty or horse based or just a fun and quick read.

Margo Roth Spiegelman changes Q's life in just one night. She's listened to the gossip mills and has discovered that her best friend is hooking up with her boyfriend. So she decides to get even. She crawls into the window of her childhood friend Q and convinces him to drive the get away car. Q has the night of his life and adventures to last him the rest of his life. He's anxious for morning to stroll into school and see Margo and how the revenge has changed people. But Margo's not there. She's not there the next day either. In fact Margo's skipped town once again. This time Q feels an empty hole in his stomach. He vows to find her leaving the clues she left behind.

First off, this was a great story. And it's being made into a movie by the same people who made Juno. So that's really cool. Secondly, I have no idea why there are two covers. I really think the blue one suits the book more as being mysterious and dark, but it just occurred to me that the yellow cover might signify fun-loving-adventurous Margo. Good story: adventure, friendship, road trip. John Green ROCKS!

Adult titles:

Third in the series, Jane hasn't used her magic in quite some time - six months and now she's in danger of losing everything. She had no idea that this could happen to her, now Jane must desperately stop the reversing loss of her magic. With her warder's help, she creates a magical servant to regain her power. However, the spell backfires as she loses concentration while weaving the magic. Even without her magical problems, her personal life is a complete disaster. She's dating a man who doesn't know she's a powerful witch, her mother is leaving again, her grandmother is getting married, and her job's slowing dissolving before her eyes. Could her life get any worse?

I love this series (and not just because the main character is a librarian), mostly for the magic, the friendship, the romance, and overall good feeling once I've finished the novel. The third novel is right up there with the first two, leaving me hanging for the 4th book.

It's Thanksgiving in Old Town, Alexandria and two childhood frenemies are going head to head in the Stupendous Stuffing Shakedown. Before the competition begins, things start to heat up when Sophie stumbles over the body of the judge - who just asked her out. She's now a person of interest in the case. It doesn't help the while grocery shopping for her family Thanksgiving supplies, she stumbles across yet another body. With family issues (mainly dealing with her ex and his family), discovering bodies, and deciding to clear her name, her cozy Thanksgiving has been crashed.

I picked this book up at the bookstore the other day. It's the first in a new series and just perfect for November. It was fun, cozy, and a fresh voice in mysteries. There were plently of amusing characters, characters that you love to hate, and a tiny bit of romance. I can't wait for the next one.